


Mako Pabu Bonding Sesh

by abcame



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Angst, Canon Compliant, Gen, Mako & Bolin backstory, Mako cries because of course, Pets, Pre-Canon, Toza mentioned, let Mako say fuck
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-25
Updated: 2020-11-25
Packaged: 2021-03-09 23:53:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,247
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27714350
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/abcame/pseuds/abcame
Summary: In which Pabu finally convinces Mako to not hate him
Relationships: Bolin & Mako (Avatar), Mako & Pabu
Comments: 5
Kudos: 42





	Mako Pabu Bonding Sesh

**Author's Note:**

> This picks up after Republic City Hustle (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6dUr6LyJGo) mostly, so I would recommend watching it, but also it should be easy to understand even without it.

Mako hated Bolin’s little rat friend.

Well. Not hated. He had to admit, Pabu was cute, but that’s where the affection began and ended. What would he want with another mouth to feed, another living creature to care for, another thing to worry about? He could handle that stress when it came to Bolin because Bolin was his entire world, the only thing he loved and cared for. But he simply didn’t have enough love in him for a pet, too. Bolin did, though, (Bolin had enough love for the whole world, really,) and Mako was helpless against his brother’s pleading polarbear-pup eyes. So, their band of 2 became a band of 3.

One of their first days with Toza and in the arena attic, Bolin was gone all day with Toza. Most days, the brothers spent training together, but there was a special earthbending gathering happening that day. All the best earthbenders of probending were in town for old times sake, or something. Mako was a bit jealous about the whole situation, actually. He was happy Bolin was going to meet so many of his heroes and he’d been invited to come, of course, but, the earthbenders didn’t quite excite him like they did Bolin. Plus, he didn’t really like parties, anyways, so it would be more trouble than it would be worth.

So, there he sat, alone in their mostly bare apartment. Well, not alone. There he sat with _Pabu._

He was reading his favorite historical fiction book for the 100th time (a love story between a member of Fire Nation royalty during the 100 Year War and an Earth Kingdom orphan) curled against the corner of their worn old couch when the sound of munching forced his eyes off the page. Suddenly, Mako was on his feet, racing to rip Pabu off of his latest snack.

“No, Pabu! No no no no, oh my spirits,” Mako muttered as he yanked his dads scarf out of the fire ferret’s mouth. He’d nibbled a hole right through! It wasn’t a very big hole, but still. There was a new hole in his one and only prized possession on this earthly plane because of this stupid little rat!

Pabu must have been able to feel the air around Mako growing hot because the ferret was running before Mako could even face him.

“Are you _fucking_ kidding me?!” he shouted as he turned on his heel and began to chase the pet around the apartment in circles. Eventually, Pabs ran up one of the support columns and cowered in the rafters of the unfinished ceiling.

“Yeah, stay up there! You should be scared! I save your ass from being eaten by a snake and _this_ is how you repay me?!” Mako could feel the flames nearly crackling at his finger tips and sweat all over his body. His heart felt like it was pounding out of his chest as he mumbled to himself, “Spirits, get a grip. You’re yelling at a big rat. Just fucking relax.”

Laying back down on the couch, he clutched the scarf against his chest and shut his eyes. He hated when he let his emotions get the better of him like that; he was really glad Bolin hadn’t been home to see. It was just, when he saw the flash of red in Pabu’s mouth, he didn’t know if it was too late. He didn’t know if he’d officially lost the last trace of his parents. Mako’s throat tightened and eyes began to sting at the thought. _“Great”_ he thought to himself. He hated crying, even when no one was around; it made him feel weak and pathetic. But, as he laid there, rustling the soft and thin fabric between his fingers, thinking of his parents, he didn’t bother to stop the tears as they rolled across his cheeks. The tears were coming hot and fast until Mako could no longer hold down the sob that had been bubbling in his chest. Gasped sobs and sniffles echoed through the attic for who knows how long. Mako didn’t know how to close the floodgates once they’d opened like that, which is why he always made an effort to keep them closed. Eventually, quiet tapping and chittering joined the echoes as Pabu made his way towards Mako, popping his paws on the side of the couch, next to his head.

“What do you want,” he croaked through sniffles. Pabu hopped onto the couch then climbed onto Mako’s chest before reaching his long neck out and licking Mako’s damp cheek.

“Eeuck, gross! Pabu!” he whined as he hastily wiped at his face, hoping his disgust would be signal enough for the animal to leave him alone. Pabu was undeterred, however, as he then moved from Mako’s chest to behind his head, which he curled himself against, his head resting against Mako’s temple. _“Ugh, whatever. As long as he doesn’t lick me,”_ he thought tiredly as another sob threatened to break through his chest.

The two laid like that for a while more. Every time Mako was hit with another crying wave, Pabu would chirp quietly in his ear and Mako swore he felt him pressing closer, too. It was annoying at first, but after a minute he found the sounds and pressure oddly comforting, and eventually the apartment grew quiet again.

***

“MAKO! Oh bro, do I have so much to tell you!”

Mako bolted upright at the sound of his brother’s voice. It took him a minute to switch his brain back on and realize he had fallen asleep on the couch and that Bolin was back from the party. Yawning, he greeted his brother.

“Hey Bo, so you had fun?”

“SO much fun! Those guys are so cool! Crazy talented and _funny_! They showed me so many new moves, ohhhhh man, I can’t wait to use them on you in practice, you better watch your back or you’ll be landing on it!” Bolin shouted as he flexed his just-beginning-to-form muscles.

“Can’t wait, it’s about time you actually gave me some competition,” Mako shot back, laughing at his brother’s antics.

“Oh haha, very funny. Just because you’re the older—wait, did you just wake up?”

“Um yeah, I had been reading and I guess I was more tired than I thought,” Mako lied. He was way too embarrassed to tell the truth, that he’d had a complete meltdown over a hardly noticeable hole in his scarf.

“Well, that’s what you get for snuggling up while you read” Bo said, flopping down on the other end of the couch and throwing the blanket Mako was under over himself, as well. “When you used to put me under a blanket like this and read to me, I’d be out like a light!”

Huh. Mako only noticed the blanket when Bolin drew attention to it. It had been slung over the far end of the couch before he’d fallen asleep…wait, where was Pabu? As if reading his mind, the fire ferret scurried up into Bolin’s lap where he was greeted with a warm hug and affectionate coos. Then, he made his was over to Mako’s lap, where he circled contentedly. Realization beginning to dawn on Mako, he pet Pabu’s head and heard him purr in delight.

“Woah, what am I looking at right now? Mako and Pabu? _Friends?_ Did you two bond while I was gone?!” Bolin asked, excitedly.

Smiling, Mako responded, “Yeah, I guess we did.”

**Author's Note:**

> This was meant to be short and sweet, then it ended up way longer and a little angsty lol. I've never written Bolin before, but it was really fun cause of his particular speech patterns. It's also pretty cheesy but hey that's what self indulgence is mostly.


End file.
